


One Step Closer to the Light

by beautifultargetslove



Category: HiGH&LOW (Movies), HiGH&LOW: the Story of S.W.O.R.D. (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, I just like them all getting along okay, Light Angst, mostly Cobra/Smoky but lowkey implied ot5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-03 03:56:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17276633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautifultargetslove/pseuds/beautifultargetslove
Summary: Smoky’s eyes trace over Cobra’s face and he’s never felt this vulnerable. Something about Smoky is… different, something that looks deep inside Cobra and examines all the parts he wants.They always have been too similar. The other SWORD leaders agree and Cobra thought he could work it to his advantage but perhaps not.





	One Step Closer to the Light

**Author's Note:**

> Smoky is my favorite character (still not over Final Mission!) and we didn't see as much of him as I would've liked in- well, in all the movies really. So this is a hidden scene from the beginning of End of Sky. And I can't decide who to ship with who, so it's lowkey ot5 with a strong focus on Smoky and Cobra, my best boys!

Nothing has changed much. The Nameless Street is as daunting as ever but Cobra’s learned to not let the whispers bother him. They actually do more good than harm; the Rude Boys will quickly know where he is.

He heads in the direction he thinks is right, waiting.

Takeshi and Pi find him in moments. There’s not any bitterness between them, not really. They’re a little bit more wary since they’re not actually the leaders; technically, Cobra doesn’t need to listen to them.

“Does the Hoodlum Squad know you’re here?” Takeshi asks first. Pi is behind him, crouched on the hood of an abandoned car.

“Of course.” Cobra learned long ago that going behind the backs of his friends would only lead to worse things. Besides, he has nothing to hide. Just a meeting with an old friend.

Takeshi just nods, leaning against the side door, eyebrow raised. “Our answer wasn’t enough?”

“Not exactly.” And even if it was, it wouldn’t hold anything. There’s only one person whose word would be enough. “I wanted to see him in person.”

They stiffen. “He’s not taking visitors right now,” Pi says tightly. 

Cobra sighs, expecting this. And he doesn’t want to infringe on Smoky’s healing process, he really doesn’t, but they don’t have much time.

“You know how important it is.”

Takeshi and Pi look at each other. Thinking. As much as they hate it, it’s not their decision to make. If the entirety of SWORD is at stake, it’s between the leaders to figure it out. Smoky has a right.

Cobra has a sudden thought. “Have you even told him?”

“Yes,” Takeshi retorts, scowling. Pi puts a hand on his shoulder. “Bits and pieces. You can fill in the blanks.”

It’s as close to an approval that Cobra will have but he takes what he can get; he’s not picky.

He follows them silently, trying not to look too closely. People follow the three with their eyes, hidden and afraid. It hurts Cobra’s heart.

They’re deep into Nameless Street now. Pi leads the way into a building next to the water tower, climbing to the third floor. The walls are bare but sunlight filters through in a few places. It’s dark yet cozy, suiting its owners perfectly.

Takeshi knocks on the doorframe, only a thin cloth separating the rooms. “We’ve got company.”

“Now?” Yu’s voice carries over before he shoves the curtain aside, frowning at the disturbance. But then he sees Cobra and he freezes. “Oh.”

“What is it, Yu?” Smoky calls from inside the room and Takeshi nods, seeing Yu’s reluctance.

“Just a few minutes.”

Yu scowls but moves aside, letting Cobra pass him into the tiny room. Smoky is sitting up in bed, propped up with pillows. He’s thinner than Cobra remember him being, with bags under his eyes and tousled hair. But he still exudes his strong aura and Cobra doesn’t feel like he’s any less the leader he always is.

“Hello Cobra,” Smoky says once he sees the visitor. Honestly, he’s not too surprised. The others had told him of the meeting and he knew it would be sooner or later Cobra would seek him out. Takeshi and Pi did good filling in but it’s just not the same as leaders speaking face to face.

“Smoky.” Cobra pauses, not knowing how to greet Smoky without it coming off as pity. He hopes Smoky won’t take it that way. “Are you feeling better?”

“Better enough.” Smoky gestures to a chair next to his bed that Cobra settles in, almost hesitantly. “So, what can I help you with?”

“The Kuryu group is going to be destroyed soon,” Cobra starts. At the meeting, it was easier talking about it with all eyes on him. Here it’s just Smoky and for some reason, it’s almost worse.

“How do you know for sure?” Smoky smiles with no real warmth behind it. “I’ve been promised that before.”

“We have the USB as evidence,” replies Cobra, unsure how to respond to that. It must’ve shown on his face because Smoky shakes his head and smiles again; a genuine one.

“I believe you, Cobra.” And he does, really. Cobra had always been trustworthy, wanting to keep the peace more than anything. Something isn’t adding up thought.

“But this isn’t about destroying them.”

“No,” Cobra admits. “No, it’s not. It’s about after.”

“Mm.” Smoky smoothes out the blankets where he can reach. Besides being in bed, and the blood-splattered clothes on the floor next to them, Smoky is the same. Alert and aware and Cobra just hopes it’s enough.

“I was thinking of a SWORD agreement,” Cobra continues once he realizes Smoky won’t be saying anything more.

A side of Smoky’s mouth quirks. “A SWORD agreement?”

“Things are hard, now,” Cobra says carefully, measuring each word. “I don’t want them to get harder.”

“I see.” The underlying question is hidden in the air, so Smoky voices it. “And how did everyone take it?”

Cobra snorts, uncontrolled for a moment. “About as well as you would expect. Murayama agrees.”

“That’s no surprise.”

“But Hyuga and Rocky thinks it has nothing to do with them.”

“Also unsurprising.”

“What do you think?”

Smoky’s quiet for a few moments. Thinking. Cobra takes this opportunity to study him a bit more.

SWORD’s dynamic has always been… interesting. Hyuga is indifferent, Rocky mysterious, Murayama impulsive. Cobra knows he’s not easy to get along with either, not quite a lone wolf but just as quiet as one. And Smoky… Smoky is independent, almost too much. It’s an admirable trait but Cobra thinks it will be his downfall.

He hopes he’s wrong.

“I think,” Smoky begins, only to cut himself off when a cough rattles deep in his chest and he turns into his elbow, blood spurting from his mouth.

“Smoky?” Cobra leans forward worriedly. Smoky coughs again, almost gasping for air and a bit of panic bubbles in Cobra’s chest. This is beyond anything he knows; it’s a terrible illness and Cobra doesn’t like feeling this helpless.

The curtain is shoved aside and people flood the room. Takeshi rubs soothing circles into Smoky’s back as Yu gently feeds him his medicine, Pi standing close by with a glass of water.

“In, out, in, out,” Takeshi coaches and finally Smoky catches his breath. He nods in thanks, dabbing at his mouth before spitting blood into the cloth.

“I think you should leave,” Yu says, glaring balefully at Cobra.

“We’re not finished,” Smoky says.

“But-” Pi starts and Smoky holds a hand up.

“I’m fine.”

The other three look at each other but file out of the room, each scowling at Cobra like he’s the reason Smoky’s sick in the first place.

“Now,” Smoky says but he sees Cobra’s mind is far away. It doesn’t take a genius to know what he’s thinking about.

A sigh. “I’m fine, Cobra.”

Cobra speaks before he can stop himself. “That’s not fine.”

Smoky’s tone hardens. “It’s going to have to be.”

They’re silent for a moment. Smoky doesn’t want anyone’s pity, he doesn’t need it. But somehow he knows it’s not pity emitting from Cobra right now.

“Okay,” Cobra agrees because he’s not going to argue with Smoky over this. Whether he looks after himself or not is his business and Cobra shouldn’t get involved. Supposedly.

Blood stains Smoky’s lips but Cobra wants him anyway. 

Smoky’s eyes trace over Cobra’s face and he’s never felt this vulnerable. Something about Smoky is… different, something that looks deep inside Cobra and examines all the parts he wants.

They always have been too similar. The other SWORD leaders agree and Cobra thought he could work it to his advantage but perhaps not.

Smoky has always been untouchable, beautiful, something Cobra never allowed himself to dream about.

Today isn’t any different.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” Smoky says, continuing as if nothing had interrupted them before. “When things get tough, we should stick together. As much as we don’t want to admit it, SWORD is one. We work together.”

It’s a careful balance they have. Cobra remembers when Chiharu ran away from Oya High, how that almost sparked an uproar. Murayama was understanding, or at least went about in his own way to diffuse it, but not everything could end so easily.

Of course no one wants anyone else to fail and they offer help every now and again but beyond that, there’s no close bond. It’s honorifics, it’s acquaintances, nothing more.

On the surface, at least.

“I was raised,” continues Smoky. His hands are shaking slightly and it makes Cobra’s heart twist. “To protect myself and my family above all else. We’re not blood but we’re damn sure we’re family.”

“And you think we should protect each other?” Cobra raises an eyebrow. There have been times he wished they all got along more, wishes fighting among them wasn’t so common. It’s how things have always been and he thinks he wants it to end.

“Usually I’d say it has nothing to do with us. We take care of our own.” Smoky’s tone softens. “But we’ve been through a lot together. It feels… right. If not for us,  _ all  _ of us, SWORD would be in chaos. Like it or not, we actually work well together.”

Cobra’s mouth twitches almost into a smile. “Rocky would hate that.”

“Yeah, and he’d hate it more that it’s actually true.” 

They laugh quietly at that, knowing Rocky would hate anyone saying that because his pride is too much, even though he’s quite soft hearted.

Smoky picks up his glass of water and takes a sip, feeling another cough come on and it takes everything in him to hold it back. He doesn’t need another reason for the Rude Boys to come back in and they’d insist on Cobra leaving. Cobra would probably agree.

Smoky doesn’t want to be alone again. He hates being cooped up, the rest of the world moving on without him. There’s still so much he has to do,  _ wants  _ to do.

“I think I should be going now,” Cobra says. He can see Smoky is getting tired and knows he should leave for him to rest. Once he gets back to Sannoh, he’s going to dig up as much as he can about this illness. The Rude Boys won’t go through this alone.

_ Already?  _ Smoky wants to say but shouldn’t. He only nods, feeling weary. It used to be he could fight for hours, go on with his life without getting tired easily, take on everything and anything he wanted. 

Times change.

“Would you have another meeting?” he asks, not looking at Cobra. He stares down at his hands instead, willing them to stop shaking if only for a little bit. Things are getting worse.

“Only if you could make it.” There’s more weight to those words than Smoky can understand but he knows Cobra will never explain.

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

Cobra cracks a smile. “I’ll hold you to that then.”

“No need.”

The both look towards the door, where there’s a grinning Murayama, a bored looking Hyuga, and a blank faced Rocky. Smoky can’t help but smile a little.

“Hi Cobra-chan, Smoky-chan.” Murayama raises a hand in greeting before coming to plop himself on the other side of Smoky’s bed.

“What are you doing here?” Cobra asks. He can see behind Hyuga and Rocky the annoyed Rude Boys. Takeshi has his arms crossed over his chest; it looks like the SWORD leaders had barged their way in here.

“It seems we all had the same idea,” Murayama sing-songs. “We needed to get Smoky-chan up to speed.”

“Murayama made us come,” Hyuga says breezily and Murayama sticks his tongue out at him. “Since the poor guy couldn’t make it to the last one.”

“Hyuga,” Cobra says warningly but Smoky waves it aside.

“He’s right.” But the fact they came all the way over to his own territory to discuss it, makes Smoky see everything a little bit brighter.

“How are you feeling?” Rocky still has his sunglasses on, so they can’t see his eyes, but Cobra would like to assume there’s concern in them.

“Okay,” Smoky replies simply. Rocky taps his cane almost nervously, sitting down in the chair next to Cobra. 

Hyuga pulls the curtain closed to give them some privacy before settling himself at the foot of Smoky’s bed. “Alright, let’s talk.”

Murayama shifts his position so he’s facing everyone. “Cobra-chan, start for us?”

Yet instead Cobra looks to Smoky. “I think Smoky should talk first.”

“Really?”

“Take it away, Smoky-chan,” Murayama drawls. Hyuga is looking at him intently and Rocky has stopped fidgeting, giving him his full attention. Cobra nods, waiting for him to start.

Smoky may have blood on his lips but he doesn’t want anymore on his hands.

He smiles. “Alright, let’s talk.”


End file.
